Are You a Staycationer?
The Travel Channel has coined the term, “staycation,” meaning vacations where you “stay” home. With the soaring cost of fuel prices, and consequently airfare costs going up, a lot of families are opting to vacation near or in their home areas. In fact, a whopping 60% of Americans are cutting down on travel this year. So, what are the pros and cons of planning a staycation this year?
Well if you decide to forgo a lavish trip to Hawaii, for example, and instead visit local museums and amusement parks, you’ll be saving money on plane tickets and lodging. The American Automobile Association reports that American vacations can add up to about $10,000 for a 10-day vacation, including lodging and airfare for a family with kids.
The downside? You’ll still be in the area, which makes it convenient for employers to call or email you, and you may be tempted to work. In addition, you may end up spending more than you bargained for since you’ll still need to spend money on gas and food. The best things to do are to have a plan, create a budget and then check out, “The Summer of Our Discontent: Are high gas prices killing the family road trip?” for more ideas on how to save big but still have a memorable summer vacation.
Sources: Newsweek and Wikipedia
Tags: family trip, ideas, local travel, saving money, staycation, travel, vacation
